Next up at No. 13 on the BSH Community Draft Board is Ethan Belchetz, a new-age power forward who turned heads with his play with the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL. Belchetz combines size, capable hands, and a dogged work ethic to complete a tantalizing package of potential, one that has him ranked either inside, or just outside this year’s top 10.
Pre-draft rankings
Ranked #7 by Elite Prospects
Ranked #13 by The Athletic (Corey Pronman)
Ranked #14 by Sportsnet (Jason Bukala)
Ranked #13 by The Athletic (Scott Wheeler)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
The elephant in the room regarding Belchetz is, well, is that he is roughly the size of an elephant. Listed at a hulking 6 ‘5, 227 pounds at just 18 years old, Belchetz has really gotten the hang of using his size to his advantage throughout this season. He plants himself in front of goaltenders on the power play and at even strength, taking away all sight lines and picking up rebounds whenever available. He wins board battles and 50/50 pucks all over the ice, and uses his long reach well in order to fill lanes and take away opportunities on the defensive side of the puck.
And for a big man, Belchetz is uncharacteristically comfortable playing a more finesse game when he gets the puck. In addition to his play in tight, Belchetz is capable of probing around the outside and picking defenders off with some pretty solid stickhandling, before getting shots off that are placed and thought out, rather than just fired on goal.
Belchetz has shown some flashes off the rush as well, going outside to inside and beating defenders with his surprising speed and ability to shield the puck. When looking through all his 34 goals in the OHL this season, it’s pretty impressive to see just how many ways he was able to score. There were net front battles that were birthed out of hard work and positioning, breathless off the rush moves to the crease, one-time slapshots, quick snaps from the bumper spot; you name it, Belchetz probably scored it.
Those 34 tallies were good enough for 12th in OHL scoring, and amongst draft eligible players, Belchetz only narrowly trailed Nikita Klepov and Dimian Zhilkin, who both played more games. He’s proved that he has a nose for the net at a young age, and with his motor that drives him to play a really committed 200-foot game, he checks a lot of boxes.
It’s a welcome sign for the future, especially as he prepares to make the jump to the NCAA with Michigan State next season, that Belchetz has proven to be so effective in so many different ways. He has a solid base of fundamentals that, in tandem with his size, make him a really intriguing project for a team looking for a big forward with some skill to boot.
What’s not to like?
While Belchetz shows the ability to be patient and play a more lateral game in the offensive zone, sometimes he over-complicates things for someone of his size. There are times where he would be better served just putting his head down and driving straight to the net, but instead elects to turn back and try and find a lane to connect with a trailing teammate.
The mindset isn’t necessarily wrong, and is probably part of what got him into consideration to be a top-10 draft pick, but it is a bit worrying that, especially in a league where he undoubtedly has the physical edge, he didn’t really try and force the issue as often as he could. Playing on a line with Rangers prospect Liam Greentree and Flyers first rounder Jack Nesbitt, Belchetz didn’t really serve as the kind of “battering ram” type of forechecker that you may expect from someone his size. It may be the result of him still being a young player, but if he is ever to reach his true ceiling as a player, he’ll need to get more used to setting a physical tone, especially when he gets to the NCAA, and ice starts to come at a premium.
In addition, there is the skating. It’s obviously solid in a straight line, as evidenced by his off the rush offensive abilities, and he can even pull off some nice 10-2 edgework at times, but it can still look a little stilted and awkward at times. Sometimes his loose puck dekes are thwarted simply by the fact that he almost seems to get ahead of himself, and his long reach almost serves as a disadvantage.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
While it would be another name in a long list of wingers that the Flyers currently have stashed in their system and on their roster, Belchetz would admittedly bring a bit of a different archetype to the roster. He has already demonstrated an ability to play the netfront on a power play, a role that the Flyers have sorely been lacking since the years of Wayne Simmonds and Scott Hartnell, and that would be a massive addition to a unit that has struggled for a half-decade at least.
Failing that, Belchetz’s size would at very least provide a big frame on the wing that really doesn’t exist on the current roster, and help offset having smaller players like Travis Konecny, Denver Barkey, and soon to be Jett Luchanko scattered all over the forward depth chart.
He’d also get the opportunity, eventually, to re-unite with his old linemate in Nesbitt, which would undoubtedly help both players through their development curve. But regardless of all that, he still plays the position that Flyers currently need the least.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
Belchetz has been mocked anywhere from pick 7 to pick 16, and while there is a chance he slides a bit, there really no world where he falls to #21 with his size and skill profile. Some team, perhaps a prospective contender who struggled this season like the Devils or the Panthers, will see the value in taking a flyer on a really solid talent with room to grow, and the potential to play in the NHL as soon as next March.
Plus, the Flyers are not going to trade up for a winger, so even if they did make a move to get back into the teens, there’s a pretty slim chance Belchetz would be the selection.
What scouts are saying
“Belchetz is massive at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, while having a high skill level and hands of a smaller forward. He plays a heavy game and uses his big frame to win battles and dislodge pucks from opponents. He’s great around the net, showing the skill to create in tight and has a shot that can finish from range. His playmaking and skating are fine, but they aren’t a selling point of his game. He projects as a top-six winger that teams will love to have in the playoffs.” – Corey Pronman (The Athletic)
“”Belchetz has never lacked confidence – and you have to have loads of it when you’re the Tasmanian Devil on skates. He plays with so much power, which allows him to carve through the middle of the ice with little regard for human life. An injury wasn’t the only reason he slipped, though – some scouts worry that he doesn’t have any high-end traits beyond his size.” – Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff)
As we continue to move into the teens, it’s time to add another player to the poll. This time it’s a diminutive defender with one of the best offensive skillsets in the draft in Xavier Villeneuve from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL.
“Villeneuve can drive the play from the point and is as good as anyone in this draft class on the man advantage. I loved him at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge in particular – it felt like he was playing with a boatload of confidence. His play in the Q playoffs has been really promising, too.” – Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff)
